SNP candidate eyeing up Holyrood rematch in Davidson's constituency

Alison Dickie is considering going for selection by the party to take on the Scottish Tory leader who took the constituency in May 2016.

The former teacher lost to the Conservative chief by 610 votes but was re-elected a year later as an Edinburgh city councillor for the Newington/Southside ward – part of which covers the Holyrood Edinburgh Central seat.

Dickie is now vice-convener of the education committee on the city council.

“I keep getting asked if I will stand again and I will make my decision when the process formally opens, “ she told the Sunday National.

“I keep all options open and I consider everything.”

Dickie was selected from an all-female shortlist of SNP candidates ahead of the 2016 election and hinted she would like to see a women-only internal contest again.

“I think we should be looking at every way possible to increase the voice of women in politics,” she said.

She is the fourth SNP politician to express an interest in standing.

Joanna Cherry, MP for Edinburgh South West, is considering putting her name forward, as is former deputy party leader Angus Robertson.

MEP Alyn Smith has also been rumoured to be interested in throwing his hat into the ring.

Last month former SNP MSP for the area Marco Biagi backed Cherry to win the the party’s nomination.

The former local government minister said there was a “definite warmth” among local activists for the MP as a result of her work to revoke Article 50.

SNP branches have yet to select candidates for the Scottish Parliament election in 2021 with the process expected to begin later this year.

Speaking to The National, Biagi said last month: “Joanna has massive profile right now through her work on the EU, but we don’t know what the situation will be in six months time, what sort of bids [the prospective candidates] will be putting forward or if indeed they all run. It’s exciting.”

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